Cartagena, Colombia
Are We What We Eat?
Cartagena, Colombia, is a place I didn’t know anything about until I was there (just recently this past July), and didn’t necessarily think I’d make it back to after I’d left. It’s also the only city on this entire itinerary I’ve already visited.
I’m always looking for new things to explore, so it’s rare for me to return somewhere, especially so soon — whether a destination somewhere in the world, or even a restaurant in San Francisco. But, given this opportunity to spend another day in Cartagena, I knew exactly where I wanted to go again for a taste of this city…
While an undeniably gorgeous place, during my previous visit, I had been somewhat overwhelmed by the humidity and hustle. [I measured the temperature in the number of showers I took each day.] This time, even though I was just as wilted by the heat, I felt more confident navigating the maze of streets within the old walls, and smiling at persistent vendors while staying firm that I did not need a hat, or sunglasses, or giant aphrodisiac ants, thank you. I also felt eager to advise some of my fellow travelers on which street snacks to try and how to make their way to the funkier neighborhood away from the tourist crowds.
In that neighborhood, called Getsamani, down an otherwise lonely side street, is a little, unassuming restaurant called La Cocina de Pepina. So unassuming, that I feared it was closed as I approached and saw the shuttered door. But, while quiet on the outside, there was plenty of life within and a few others already waiting for tables at a late lunch hour. I was more than happy to stand (awkwardly blocking the bathroom in the small space) and cool off for a bit, studying the menu.
La Cocina de Pepina is run by two young brothers, Mateo and Christian, in memory of their aunt, Maria Josefina Yances Guerra. Maria was a renowned sociologist and chef, who researched, wrote about, and cooked Colombian-Caribbean cuisine. During her life, she worked to preserve ancestral legacies in the regional dishes and ingredients, which her nephews are now carrying on in the traditional recipes at the restaurant. They’ve done so to such acclaim and success that they just opened another spot a couple blocks away — seems like I’ll need a third visit to Cartagena!
With memories of what I loved last time I was there, and Mateo’s guidance on his own favorites, after much consideration (ordering is serious business to me), I chose three appetizers to try as many flavors and textures as possible:
- Ajies Rellenos (sweet peppers filled with ground beef and Creole spices)
- Ceviche de Corvina (fish “cooked” in lime juice with onion, cilantro, peppers, and corn)
- Boronia (an Arabic and Caribbean blend of mashed eggplant and sweet plantain with garlic and onions)
Each was simple and absolutely lovely. I ate more carefully and thoughtfully than normal, savoring the opportunity to be experiencing this food again. I almost wished I could stay and just roll right into the dinner hour and meal.
I bothered Mateo with a few tourist-y questions (“Do taxis here take credit cards? No? Do you know where the nearest ATM is?”) I also shared a bit about my own story, this trip, and how much I appreciate the work he’s doing to honor is aunt, as well as the culinary history of Cartagena. I remembered that his brother had recently been to San Francisco when we saw him in July, and only half-jokingly, I encouraged Mateo (who hasn’t been to SF yet, but wants to) to open a restaurant there. I wholeheartedly believe they’d stand out even among some of the best restaurants in the City, which are some of the best in the world.
I must not have annoyed him too much, because he gave me a whole bundle of pastel treats to share (cleverly held together by recycled Hot Wheels packaging). Loosely translated as “turkey necks,” they’re full of candy-covered sesame seeds. When I ever return to the world of easy, reliable internet connection and a breezy Google search, I want to learn more about those. What’s their origin? Are they just for fun, or is there any deeper significance?
La Cocina de Pepina makes you want to learn more about everything: food, plants, animals, traditions, techniques, culture, etc. And it makes you want to be the kind of person who learns about and makes meaning out of your own family history. Most of all, it makes you hungry for all that life has to offer.
